Chicago mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel met his Twitter impersonator Wednesday and, according to The Chicago Tribune, “the skies didn’t open, and no one got sucked into a time vortex.” So that’s good.
In a studio at WLS-AM 890, Emanuel shook hands with Dan Sinker, whose profanity-laced @MayorEmanuel Twitter account attracted thousands of followers during the mayoral campaign, and who revealed his identity this week to The Atlantic’s Alexis Madrigal.
Emanuel also made good on a promise, handing Sinker a $5,000 check to Young Chicago Authors, a group that teaches public school students creative writing. He also talked about how he’d first heard about @MayorEmanuel.
“It really came to my attention when a number of people emailed and or called and said ‘You got to— what are you doing?’” Emanuel said, adding that people thought it was “close enough” to his “old voice.”
“I have an agent for you in Hollywood so I can get my $5,000 back,” he joked.
Later, Emanuel referenced “$#*! My Dad Says” as a possible model for Sinker.
“I want you to think larger and bigger for yourself,” Emanuel said.
Watch a clip from the meeting:
You can listen to the whole meeting here.
Eric Lach
Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website’s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl(at)talkingpoitnsmemo.com
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